Teen sentenced for faking neo-Nazi assault

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A teenage girl in the eastern German state of Saxony was sentenced to 40 hours of community service on Friday for falsely claiming she had been assaulted by neo-Nazis.

The court in Hainichen said prosecutors had proved 18-year-old Rebecca K. had misled authorities into believing she had been attacked in the town of Mittweida one year ago.

The girl claimed last November that she had tried to help an immigrant girl who was being accosted by right-wing extremists. But after she intervened the neo-Nazis turned on her and carved a swastika on her hip.

Police investigated the alleged crime, but quickly began to doubt Rebecca's story. She was sentenced to carry out her community service at an organisation working against right-wing extremism.

Although content with the verdict, chief prosecutor Bernd Vogel said the case was “a defeat for everyone” because the incident would serve as “grist for the mil of certain groups,” referring to the neo-Nazi scene.

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